Resisting Post-Prayer Satanic Whispers (via David Murray)

Last night mgpc had another first Sunday prayer service.
That’s three.
After prayer it’s common to feel some sense of inadequacy about the words, the duration, the number of folk, all of which strike at your confidence about God’s will to answer prayer.David Murray puts it this way…

“…and forgive my sins. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Within seconds the wicked whispers start.
“Too short.”
“Too shallow.”
“Too distracted…again.”
“Missed out her, and him, and them…”
“Yawn. Nothing new to say?”
“You call that a prayer?”
“Not enough faith…not enough passion…not enough anything.”
“You don’t actually believe that made a difference, do you?”
“You’ll probably not even think about prayer for the rest of the day”
And on, and on, and on it goes.

Relentless, cruel, malicious Satanic whispers that begin the second I end my morning prayer with, “Amen.”
Anyone else get that? It’s so discouraging, isn’t it. I mean, why pray if all you get at the end of it is an even heavier feeling of guilt and failure? Prayer should be a delight not a dread.
I’d really welcome your own input on this, but here’s how I try to fight back, silence the whispers, and turn prayer into a soul-refreshing delight again.